‘Gangs’ have been kicked off land around Old Trafford and now drivers hand over cash to good causes such as Macmillan Cancer Support

An illegal £1m car parking racket around Old Trafford has been shut down and transformed into a money-making scheme for cancer charities.

Police swooped on gangs charging United fans to park near the stadium on match days.

The gangs didn’t have permission from landowners or had used intimidation tactics to take over the land.

Twenty people were arrested during two home games and police have closed nine car parks in Salford and Trafford.

And now a security team has been put in place on each of the car parks – thought to bring in a total of £1m a year – so that parking money can go to a good cause instead of crime.

The cash will be given to charities Macmillan Cancer Support and Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention. In Salford, land at Clippers Quay and wasteland off Trafford Road is generating £5 per car for Genesis.

And five car parks at on Waterside in Trafford are now patrolled by security firm G4S, and the parking fees of £10 goes to Macmillan.

The crackdown is part of Project Gulf – an award-winning operation aimed at disrupting every aspect of criminal life in Salford.

Chief Supt Kevin Mulligan, Divisional Commander of the Salford Division of Greater Manchester Police said: “Running an illegal car park helps criminals fund their lifestyle at the expense of our communities and the offenders probably thought they could get away with it.”

After first targeting the Salford car parks, officers teamed up with Operation Bank, which tackles organised crime, who swooped on car parks in Trafford.

Working with Salford City Council, Trafford Council, landowners, private businesses, detectives came up with the charity plan to stop profiteering gangs returning.

Det Sgt Patrick Goodrich, who is part of Operation Bank, said: “The system in place now means that we have effectively weakened a criminal organisation. We found out that these people with criminal links had negotiated the use of these car parks with the owners of the businesses but when we spoke to them it was clear in some cases that they had allowed them to continue as they wanted an easy life or were fearful of damage to their buildings or vehicles should they put up any resistance.

"The car parks were not managed in a professional way, with cars being crammed in and parked on pavements and verges.”

Rebecca Bishop, area manager for Macmillan, said: “This is a great way of being able to change the lives of people affected by cancer and reducing crime in the city.”

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